Ventilating apparatus



June 24, 1930. J. c. KNAPP 7 1,767,988

' 'VENTILA'IING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 26, 1929 I VVVVVVVV 25 15. A A-A A A AAA w M4444 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented .lune 24, 1930 UNITED STATS JOHN COVINGTON KNAIPZP, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOZR T0 OTIS ELEVATOR COM- IPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY I VENTILATING APPARATUS The invention relates to ventilating devices, particularly to ventilating devices for elevator cars.

As the elevator art has developed, it has become increasing practice to install closed or substantially closed cabs in certain types of installations. As a result, there is always the possibility of the air in such cabs becoming impure or even stagnant. There is also the possibility of the air becoming impure in other types of cabs, due primarily to heavy traflic conditions. It is desirable, therefore, in installations of the above nature to ventilate the cabs.

One featureof the present invention is the provision of ventilating apparatus adapted to renew the air in an elevator car.

Another "feature'of the invention resides in concealing the ventilating apparatus from occupants of the elevator car.

A third feature of the invention resides in the provision of a ventilating device for an elevator car which is of simple and rugged construction, reliable in o eration, and

. which may be cheaply manu actured.

Other features will become apparent from consideration of the following description and appended claims.

In carr in out the invention'in its preferred em 0 iment, an opening is provided in the ceiling of the car over which a suction fan is positioned, the fan being driven by a motor mounted on the car. A lighting fixture is arranged within the car to cover the opening, apertures being provided therein to permit the free passage of air to the opening. This fixture is of artistic design so as to present a pleasing appearance to the occupants 'of the car and is arranged so that the fan and motor are effectually concealed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a schematic re resentation of an elevator car provided with ventilating apparatus;

Figure 2 is a top view of the ventflatmg apparatus of Figure 1, illustrating details of construction; and I Figure 3 is a view on the line 33 of Figure 2, illustrating further details of construction.

The ventilating apparatus is particularly useful for closed type of cabs, that is, cabs having imperforate Walls and solid doors, and will be described as applied to this type of car. The car is designated as a whole by the numeral 10 while the imperforate side and end walls of the car are designated 11, these walls being formed Without grille work or louvres. The solid door for the elevator car is designated 12 and is illustrated as of the single section type.

According to the preferred arrangement, an ope'mng 13 is formed in the top. of the dome 14, the dome being otherwise imperforate. Above the opening 13 is a centrifugal suction fan 15, preferably of the Sirocco type. This fan comprises a plurality of radial impellor blades 16 and a driving disc 17. The

lades are secured to and depend from the driving disc, being arranged around the periphery thereof, as illustrated. The fan is driven by a motor 18 as by securing the driving disc 17 to the rotating member 20 of the motor. The motor 18 is supported by brackets 21 secured to the top of the dome about the opening 13.

The opening 13 is covered by a lighting fixture 22 depending from the ceiling. This fixture comprises a. cylindrical grille 23 and a bottom cover 24 having a plurality of spaced perforations 25 therein arranged circumferentially. The cylindrical grille 23 is secured to the ceiling as by bolts 26 extending through apertures in an inwardly extending flange 27 formed on the grille. These bolts are threaded into the ceiling and extend through the feet 28 of the brackets 21 to receive nuts 30, thus serving also to secure the brackets to receive the nut 32 which supports the bottom cover. The fixture is provided with a plurality of spaced light sockets 34. These sockets extend through the sides of the grille 23 to the-outside of the fixture where they receive the lamps 29.

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Upon energization of the motor 18, the fan is rotated creating a suction in the interior thereof above the opening. This causes air to be drawn from the interior of the car through the perforations 25, the grille 23 and the opening 13 into the fan interior from where it is impelled into the hatchway by the fan blades. As the air in the elevator car is withdrawn it is replaced by air which enters the car through various joints of the cab structure, which is not of air-tight construction, and the clearances for the door and also through the entrance of the car when the door is in open position. Air is prevented from being drawn into the interior of the fan from above by the driving disc 17 which is of sol1 d construction.

The motor 18 is arranged to drive the fan at a low speed. A single phase, squirrel cage, induction motor is illustrated, the stator thereof having a large number of poles so that low operating speed is obtained. It is preferred to employ a fan of a capacity such that when operated at this low speed the total volume of air of the elevator car is renewed once a minute.

A baffle, such as an annular ring 35, mounted in the interior of the light fixture 22 opposite the perforations 25 conceals the fan 15 and motor 18 as well as the interior parts of the light fixture from the view of occupants of the elevator car. A drip guard 36 is supported by the brackets 21 above the motor 18 to protect it, the fan 15 and the interior of the elevator car from oil, other liquids or objects dropping in the hatchway.

Through the use of a suction ventllator the air in the elevator car is withdrawn and replaced by fresh air rather than merely stirred up. The use of a suction fan also avoids the discomfort to occupants of the car which results from having air blown upon their persons.

The use of the lighting fixture in conjunction with the ventilating apparatus renders the interior of the car pleasing in appearance as unsightly motors and fan devices are concealed by the lighting fixture. The appearance of the interior of the elevator car is further improved, and manufacture of the elevator car made easier and cheaper, by the elimination of grilles and louvres in the walls and dome of the car. 7

While the construction illustrated has been described as particularly suitable for use with a closed type cab, it is to be understood that it can be advantageously used with certain other types of cabs in which ventilation is desirable.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimedis:

1. In an elevator installation; an elevator cab ofthe closed type having an opening provided in the ceiling thereof; a grille depend-' ing from said ceiling and covering said opening, said grille being provided with apertures communicating with said opening; a centrifugal fan mounted over said opening, said fan comprising a driving disc and a plurality of radial blades secured to and depending from said disc; and a motor mounted on the top of the cab above said fan, said motor having a rotating member to which said disc is connected so as to bedriven thereby upon operation of the motor, said fan upon being driven drawing air in the cab out through said apertures and said opening, and said disc being of solid construction to prevent air bging drawn into the blades of said fan from a ove.

2. In an elevator installation; an elevator cab of the closed type having an opening provided in the ceiling thereof; a grille depending from said ceiling and covering said opening, said grille being provided with apertures communicating with said opening; a centrifugal fan mounted over said opening; said fan comprising a driving disc and a plurality of radial blades secured to and depending from said disc; a motor mounted on the top of the cab above said fan, said motor having a rotating member to which said disc is connected so as to be driven thereby on operation of the motor, said fan upon being driven drawing air in the cab out through said apertures and said opening, and said disc being of solid construction to prevent air being drawn into the blades of said fan from above; and means within said grille adapted to preclude view of said motor, fan and the interior parts of said grille through said apertures by occupants of said cab.

3. In an elevator installation, an elevator cab of the closed type having an opening in the ceiling thereof, a grille depending from said ceiling and covering the opening therein, said grille having openings therein conimunicating with said ceiling opening, a centrifugal fan above said opening adapted when driven to draw the air in said cab out through the openings in said grille and ceiling, a. motor having a rotating member, said fan being connected to said member to be driven thereby upon operation of said motor, brackets mounted on the cab about said opening for supporting said motor and fan, means mounted within said grille opposite the openings therein to preclude view of said 'motor, fan and the interior parts of said grille through said openings by occupants of said cab, and means supported above said motor by said brackets to protect said motor, fan and the interior of said cab from oil and objects which may fall thereon.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN COVINGTON KNAPP. 

